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Beverly Kirk was full of advice for University of Kentucky graduates at the school's 141st commencement ceremony Sunday in Rupp Arena.
"The degree you get today is a starting point, not an end point," she told the crowd. She urged the graduates to "take bold risks," especially while they're young; to learn to be their own best friend; and to "confront and banish" their fear, or "feel your fear and do it anyway."
At the ceremony, UK awarded honorary doctorates to former basketball coach Tubby Smith, former Gov. Paul Patton and former debate program director Gifford Blyton.
Kirk is a Burkesville native who holds a master's degree from UK. She has worked as a reporter or news anchor at WLEX-TV in Lexington, National Public Radio and NBC News in Washington.
Now an anchor for a Washington TV station, she said that success is defined in different ways at different times in one's life. She recounted her own route in life, going from working for a local television station to covering historic events on a national and international level, then back to local television in Washington.
She said she considered herself to be successful, and she told the graduates it was fine for the definition of success to change, depending upon where one is in life.
A record 6,500 graduates, including 2008 spring graduates and students who earned degrees in August and December, were honored during the commencement.
Also addressing the graduates was Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who stressed to the graduates the importance of being a good citizen of the world.
"Now is the time to reach deep down and measure the full content of your character" -- to make a difference, to think and act big, to give back, he said.
Oh, happy day!
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